Welcome, you’ve stumbled into The Tori Story Series. If this is your first visit to this realm you might want to catch up.

---

---

Peddler found Tori in the Void. She shimmered in the air— hovering over and around Rowan— moving as it were in slow motion. What was she doing? Her form faded in and out as she tried again and again to wrap her arms around the boy. Each attempt proved fruitless as her grasp slid right through him.

With a tender smile, Peddler watched admiring the two, his heart full of love and longing.

After a moment, he approached Tori.

“Go back.” Peddler told the wraith-like Tori. “I’ll bring him back.”

Tori shook her head no and opened her mouth to speak. No words were uttered but her expression spoke volumes. It broke Peddler’s heart. She wouldn’t leave Rowan in the Peddler’s hands. Not this time. She wasn’t willing to make that same mistake twice.

“I’ve got him. I swear.” Peddler assured trying to rest his hand on her shoulders but his hands also just passed right through her. “Besides, look at you. You are no good to him like this. Go back. I’ve got him now.”

Tori opened her mouth yet again, still silence. She reached for Peddler with both hands stopping just shy of his face and glared at him, and then turned to look at Rowan.

“I’ll bring him back.” Peddler reassured. He smiled at her and picked Rowan up. As he began to sing, the Void began to swirl. “Oh, and don’t worry” he paused his song. “I promise I’ll get you out of that mess.” he said offering her a goofy grin.

Tori’s eyes widened and she mouthed the words “What mess?”

Peddler laughed and shook his head, “You don’t want to know.”

Tori squinted her eyes and cocked her head to the side, her expression a mixture of curiosity and concern. She wagged her head slowly while the Peddler sang and the Void began to swirl violently. To be sure, she waited until after the two disappeared then at long last she returned to her body.

~

Hunter wracked with sobs. With Peddler gone he had lost all hope. Terror, hurt, anger and despair— an entire range of emotions flooded through him. He bowed his head into his hands feeling sorry for himself. Truly, he was so lost in self-pity that he didn’t notice when the Witch blinked her eyes and turned her head from side to side. Did he hear her faint sigh and soft chuckle as the reality of ‘the mess’ registered with her? No he did not, nor did he notice the Witch take notice of him.

Instead, he just sat there head down allowing the tears— yes, they were definitely tears— to pour down his cheek.

When the Witch leaned into him in an effort to offer him some small comfort, he too leaned into her, turned his head towards her comforting shoulder and continued to bawl.

“It’s okay, boy.” The Witch said softly. “Everything will turn out fine.”

At the sound of her voice the flow of tears ceased immediately. Hunter squinted his eyes shut and hesitated before gathering the courage to face the owner of the voice. Bit by tiny bit, he raised his head to meet the Witch’s gaze but I assure you he kept his eyes squeezed tightly shut.

Although the town continued to bustle and scurry below, time or Hunter stood completely still as his heartbeat echoed in his chest like a pounding timpani drowning out all other noise.

He held his breath to brace himself and finally after what seemed an eternity he forced his eyes to open just a sliver so that he could peek through his lids.

What he saw, he wished he could unsee for there was the Witch, very much alive, offering him the kindest of smiles.

He let out a blood curdling-scream.

~

Hunter’s scream pierced the air causing quite a commotion. For in that very moment when each little ant in the crowd looked up to find the source of the scream, they understood immediately that the Witch wasn’t dead.

“She’s alive! She’s alive!” They buzzed, fingers pointing and mouths agape.

Fear swept over the entire town as foreboding as a violent summer storm.

“Do something!” One yelled. “Before she casts a spell on us all.”

Fear driven and moving as if in a trance the entire town moved as one and lit the massive pile of logs on fire.

---